The 13 Best Biffy Clyro Songs
Biffy Clyro are titans of the UK alternative rock scene. Since starting in 1995, while still at school, the band have gone from strength to strength. The reason behind their success is their diverse discography and their catchy songs. The band currently have nine studio albums, seven compilation albums, and four live albums, so picking a select best is virtually impossible.
Which ones stand out from the rest? Read on as I go through the impossible task of picking my favourite 13 Biffy Clyro songs…
Best Biffy Clyro songs
13. Wolves of Winter" - Ellipsis (2016)
The dazzling opening to the 2016 album Elipsis, “Wolves Of Winter”, opens up to everything you should expect from the album. The heavy opening chords, the fast-paced strumming, and, of course, falsetto vocals from Simon Neil are everything Biffy are about.
The call and response between the vocals and the guitars creates a catchy hook, and the chorus hammers this home. This track is unique in Biffy’s catalogue of music. Blending high-octane guitars and pop vocal hooks has become a signature of the band, and this is on full display in this song!
12. "Questions and Answers" - Vertigo of Bliss (2003)
“Questions and Answers” showcases Biffy’s natural songwriting ability. This song proves that even in their earlier albums, the band could create catchy vocal hooks. The natural build of the chorus, in its multiple appearances, emphasises the natural explosion of the song.
The dynamic awareness to strip the song back for the lead vocal and guitar lines is astonishing, considering ‘Vertigo of Bliss’ is still the band finding their feet. The song stands up to this day, showing the same proficiencies as their later albums. This one still gets a roar from the crowd when Simon teases us with it.
11. "A Hunger in your Haunt" - The Myth Of The Happily Ever After (2021)
“A Hunger in Your Haunt” is proof that Biffy can still write devastatingly heavy chords and math rock-like riffs in the year 2021. From all of their later albums, this track, alongside “Unknown Male 01”, are the two tracks that sound most reminiscent of early Biffy Clyro.
With high distortion chords, fast melodic lead lines, and Simon Neil screaming, you would be excused for thinking this track belonged on ‘Infinity Land’. The song’s break is one of those that prepares you for the emphatic chorus that hits after. From start to finish, this song is Biffy trying to get you to open up the crowd and mosh.
10. "Folding Stars" - Puzzle (2007)
“Folding Stars” showcases Simon Neil in one of his most emotional moments. The song is inspired by the passing of the singer’s mother. The chorus’s focus, Eleanor, is the name of his mother, and the whole song is a cry for one more moment with his mum.
The song comes across as a power ballad at all moments, every euphoric call of his mother’s name is embedded with sadness and pain, although the title line of “I hope that you’re folding stars” shows an element of peace for the singer’s mother.
In Simon’s words, the song “was the toughest song I’ve ever had to record. It’s the most raw and exposed I’ve ever felt”. You can feel this throughout, the result is a beautiful alternative rock masterpiece.
9. "Some Kind Of Wizard" - Infinity Land (2004)
This might be a bit of a controversial pick for Biffy Clyro fans, but I believe this song perfectly encapsulates Biffy Clyro’s first three albums. It has the grunge attitude of Blackened Sky, the Math Rock vibes of ‘Vertigo Of Bliss’ and the experimental nature of ‘Infinity Land’. Because of this, the track holds your hand in directing you towards ‘Puzzle’.
The opening riff of this track is just fun. Broken riff patterns are interjected with darker-toned vocals and are always accented at their best moments with a sudden jump to heavily distorted chords. Is it the best track on ‘Infinity Land’? No… but is it one that I think is important in the band’s timeline? Yes.
8. "Different People" - Opposites (2013)
“Different People” shows the development of Biffy Clyro’s songwriting beautifully. This track is diverse, both rhythmically and dynamically. The track opens with some luscious, thick open chords before throwing everything at you with a beastly riff, which in typical Biffy style – gets stuck in your head.
Reminiscent of The Beach Boys, the vocal melodies are thick within the chorus echoing that “60s pop vibe while the guitars root it in the alternative rock genre with heavily distorted chords. While this song may take a minute to get going, once it does, you will be bouncing around your room. Well, I do anyway.
7. "That Golden Rule" - Only Revolutions (2010)
An absolute face melter of a Biffy Clyro Song, “That Golden Rule” has one of the chunkiest riffs of any of the tracks from Only Revolutions. For all of us alt-rockers, this song has to be high on their list. The second single from ‘Only Revolutions’, which is to this day their most successful album, everything about this track is designed to get the crowd going.
The stringed backing of the chorus and break chords add new textures to the band’s music while keeping those grunge-textured chords still at the forefront. If you’ve ever seen Simon Neil live, you will have noticed the plasters on his fingers; this guitar riff contributes to that.
6. "Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies" - Puzzle (2007)
Now, this song is just Biffy Clyro showing off! After years of listening, I can still barely count the stabs in the intro, and Simon, James, and Ben make it look like second nature. When talking about writing the song, Simon said, “We wanted something epic and over-the-top and something the three of us would find hard to do.”
They certainly achieved that. Aside from the awkward counting, the song features a catchy chorus, massive builds, and an emphatic break in the middle. This song is an absolute testament to the band’s musicianship. I’ve chosen a live video as you can see Simon’s beautifully in-time head bops.
5. "Many Of Horror" - Only Revolutions (2010)
This is the song most people recognise Biffy Clyro for, although this is sometimes not down to their own version. In 2010 UK X-Factor winner Max Cardle sang the song in the final and released his version which rose to Christmas number one. I guess, this is a testament to the strength of the songwriting.
Back to the original, the track is more delicate than other biffy songs, and it is one of the band’s more pop-music-like tracks. The vocal performance is strong throughout, and it does embed the Biffy Clyro rocking spirit towards the end. You cannot deny the fact that this is Biffy once again showing their range, and for that, it gets this high on the list.
Discover the meaning of this song here.
4. "57" - Blackened Sky (2002)
Now we are back to early Biffy Clyro! “57” is an excellent song for multiple reasons. Firstly, this track is embedded with the raw grunge aesthetic the band was started on, but it also delivers a refinement you don’t find in many debut albums. It is because of this that the band still have this song in their setlist.
You also have the elements Biffy would go on to establish within their signature sound within “57”. You have call-and-response textures, heavily distorted riffs, and a mix of unconventional rhythms. The best bit is the music video looks very much like “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.
3. "Mountains" - Only Revolutions (2010)
Yet another track from Only Revolutions, and it’s not the last. “Mountains” is another one of Biffy Clyro’s pop-influenced songs (I only say this as it follows a more conventional song structure). In typical Biffy Clyro fashion, however, they throw in some unusual time signatures to add intrigue, with a 15/16 pattern in the verses, sneaky Biffy. The band speak in detail about that here.
The track is a more feel-good and uplifting song that you commonly would hear from Biffy, especially given the albums predating it, and for this reason, the song is still a favourite amongst fans. “Mountains” is also unique amongst Biffy Clyro Songs for its opening use of piano, an instrument the band hadn’t used up to this point.
2. "Victory Over The Sun" - Puzzle (2014)
“Victory Over The Sun” is a track that I feel is underrated. Finishing with an anthemic large string texture, the track has humble guitar origins. The opening riff is laden with reverb and delay, which gives the song an almost uncertain start. The verse builds throughout before developing from a slow start to a direct and urgent verse.
The chorus is when you get the let off of the hard-hitting distorted chords. The layering in this song, combined with the catchy guitar and vocal lines, positions it at number two, in my opinion. Again, this song is hopeful, making it perfect for any mood.
1. "Bubbles" - Only Revolutions (2010)
This song was definitely created on the “Bubbles” at night. “Bubbles” is outstanding, it has everything going for it, from a catchy hook, a memorable riff, and the build, I mean the build alone. Every single element of this song is memorable and packed with Biffy goodness.
“Bubbles” is a testament to the band’s songwriting, although it is also a great case for showing how they craft their songs to play live. When this song plays you have people clapping to the beat, singing both the main guitar riff and the vocal lines, and most of all people throwing themselves at the end of the track.
Every time I listen to this Biffy Clyro banger all I want to do is get up and crash about my house.
Just missing the cut
I realise there are a few big ones missing here, but as I said this is one of the toughest lists for me to assess. Biffy are one of the bands that got me into playing the guitar and are frequently at the top of my Spotify Wrapped. Therefore this list was like picking a favourite child.
Here are some notable absences:
“Weird Leisure” – A Celebration Of Endings
“Black Chandelier” – Opposites
“Biblical” – Opposites
“The Captain” – Only Revolutions
“Who’s Got a Match?” – Puzzle
“9/15ths” – Puzzle
“Wave Upon Wave Upon Wave” – Infinity Land
“Toys Toys Toys Choke, Toys Toys Toys” – Vertigo of Bliss
Looking for another list of top songs – Look at Cage the Elephant’s best here!
One Comment
Pingback: